Few places in the United States rival New York State in terms of population, culture, and economic importance. Only the states of California and Texas have larger populations. New York City—with more than 8 million people—is the country’s largest city. New York State’s economic production is higher than that of most of the world’s countries.

New York was one of the original 13 colonies. The colony was named after the English Duke of York. The nickname of the Empire State is thought to have come from a remark made by George Washington. In 1784 he referred to New York as the “seat of empire.” The capital of New York is Albany.

New York’s largest natural region is the Appalachian Mountains, which cover about half of the state. The Appalachian region extends westward from the Hudson River valley to the state’s southern and western boundaries.

A lowland region runs northward along the Hudson River to Albany and then westward along the Mohawk River. Another mountain region lies in the northern part of the state. It extends southward from the Saint Lawrence River valley and Lake Champlain to the Mohawk River valley. The state has several Atlantic Coast islands. The largest ones are Manhattan, Staten, and Long. New York generally has warm summers and cold winters.

The population of New York is as varied as that of the United States itself. Members of every ethnic group entering the country passed through immigration stations such as Ellis Island, and many remained in the state. Immigrants are still a major part of New York’s culture—one-fifth of the state’s current population was born in a foreign country.

New Yorkers of European heritage account for about two-thirds of the state’s population. New York’s largest minority groups are African Americans and Hispanics—each group makes up more than 15 percent of the population. About 5 percent of New York’s residents are of Asian heritage.

New York companies are involved in every type of economic activity. The state’s economy and jobs are now dominated by service industries such as commercial trade, government, education, and tourism, however. New York City is the chief financial center of the nation. It is home to the major American stock exchanges and the headquarters of many major businesses.

The largest manufacturing industries in New York are chemicals, machinery, and food processing. Dairy farms account for more than half of New York’s farm income.

The first European to visit the area was probably an Italian explorer, Giovanni da Verrazzano, in 1524. In 1609 Henry Hudson sailed up what was later named the Hudson River and claimed the land for the Netherlands. The Dutch established the colony of New Netherland in 1624. The next year they founded the city of New Amsterdam. In 1664 the British took control of New Netherland and renamed it New York.

New York was a major battleground during the American Revolution (1775–83). One notable battle, at Saratoga, was considered the turning point of the war. New York became the 11th state in the Union when it approved the new federal Constitution on July 26, 1788.

TheErie Canal opened in 1825. The artificial waterway connects the Hudson River with Lake Erie. It was built to provide a way for ships to get from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. This gave New York a link to the growing Western states. About half a million New Yorkers fought for the North during the American Civil War (1861–65). After the war new machinery and methods of producing goods quickly made the state a great manufacturing and trade center.

After World War II (1939–45) new highways, airports, and bridges made New York a center of transportation. In 1952 New York City became the headquarters of the United Nations, an organization dedicated to improving international relations. The city’s international significance, however, made it a target of terrorism. On September 11, 2001, terrorists flew two hijacked planes into twin skyscrapers called the World Trade Center. The buildings were destroyed and almost 3,000 people were killed. The city and state worked hard to recover from the tragedy.

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